It Can Not Shatter Hope
by Rosey203
Summary: When Harry is diagnosed with cancer, he realises just how important those he loves are - And he also learns that there are are some things that magic simply can't fix.


Harry wasn't having the best of weeks. It always took a few weeks to settle back into the routine of school, but it was almost the end of September, and Harry was still struggling to keep up with his day to day activities.

He was just always so tired. No matter how many hours sleep he got, he would regularly find himself falling to sleep in class, or barely having to energy to move from one place to another.

It was starting to get him down - He'd had enough detentions for falling asleep in class, or for being so fatigued and confused that he'd forget the answers to the simplest of questions. He felt...slightly pathetic. He didn't like how everyone else had managed to get back into the swing of school life, while he was still stumbling along behind.

And certain people were not exactly helping his self-esteem.

"Potter!" Harry snapped awake and was not unsurprised to find himself staring into the rather un amused face of Professor Snape. "If you are too lazy to bother to stay awake in my class, then perhaps you should leave! I've had enough of you and the fact that you are seemingly incapable of paying attention. Tell me, is my class simply not interesting enough for you?"

Harry stared at Snape for a moment before looking down at the ground, feeling embarrassed for being caught half asleep during a lesson, with the entire room staring at him and the Slytherins giggling at him mockingly.

"Sorry sir," he said, still not lifting his eyes from the floor. "I'll...I'll go." He didn't want to stay here now. Not after he'd been humiliated - And he WAS tired. He just wanted to go and curl in his dorm and sleep for a year.

"Very well," said Snape, sneering down at Harry as he began to gather his things. "I do not see the point in keeping you here in this state," Snape said, watching Harry fumble tiredly as he packed away his things. "But I expect back here straight after dinner for detention to make up for what you have missed." Snape then turned and walked back to the front of the classroom.

Harry inwardly groaned at the thought of yet another detention. He had to pull himself together, he decided. He couldn't carry on like this, falling asleep in his lessons and then spending all his evenings in detention.

Ron gave him a sympathetic look as he stood to leave. Harry glanced at Hermione, and he noticed she was frowning, and that concern filled her eyes. For some reason, this irritated Harry. Why did Hermione have to look so deep into everything? He was fine, he just hadn't been getting enough sleep. He was sure of it.

Harry quickly left the room, feeling tired and shaky. He was mildly aching everywhere it seemed. He blamed it on his constant fatigue. He sighed. He hope he started having a little more energy soon. He'd had enough of this.

"Ron," Hermione said quietly, as she stirred her potion carefully. "Has Harry said anything to you?"

"Said anything to me about what?" he asked, feel confused.

"Well...He just seems to be so tired all the time," she said, frowning. "And he seems miserable, Ron. I'm worried about him. He hasn't seemed happy since we came back to school"

"He hasn't said anything to me about it," Ron replied "But he hasn't said much to me at all, lately to be honest," Ron said, sounding slightly annoyed by this fact. "All he wants to do is sleep. Maybe he's been having a tough time sleeping at night time."

Hermione sighed and rubbed at her forehead in frustration. She could feel a tension headache coming on. She was so worried for Harry - It just wasn't like him to be so withdrawn and fatigued all the time.

Ron noticed her worry. "I'm sure he's fine, Hermione. He's probably just got a lot on his mind. Heck, after everything that happened last year, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's struggling to sleep at night. He has a lot to think about, for sure."

"I hope that's all it is, I really do," Hermione said, not feeling too convinced. "I'm just starting to be so worried for him."

"He'll be fine." Ron tried to reassure her.

"I hope so. I really hope so."

She just couldn't shake that feeling of worry out of her mind. Something was wrong. She just knew it.

Thank you to everyone who has read this far! You are amazing. Sorry this chapter is so short, the rest of the chapters should be longer.

Oh, and just so you all know - This fic is set in Harry's fourth year. The reason I've done that is it means I don't have to involve Voldermort etc, and I can focus on his cancer and how that affects everyone - Which is kinda the point of the story. Hope none of you mind!

The fic is, of course, very much AU. I don't even think cancer exsists in JK's version of the wizarding world (or it is cured very easily), - But I'm twisting it a little so it does in mine.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, and I will reply to all of them. )


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